Locomotive



Dec. 31, 1929; w. E. WOODARD n LOCOMOTIVE Filed Aug. 50, 1924 INVENTOR Patented Dec. 31, 1929 UNETED STATES WILLIAM E. WOODARD, OF FOREST HILLS, NEW YORK LOCOMOTIVE Application filed August 30, 1824. Serial No.735,039.

This invention relates to locomotives and it has for .one of its primary objects the increase of the efliciency of the boiler as a steam generating unitwith consequent increase in effectiveness of the locomotive as a whole.

To this end I make provision for increasing the rapidity of circulation through the boiler of the locomotive, in fact carrying 1 such increase to the point where in the absence of provision to the contrary water would be carried over into the super-heater elements in an amount such that such elements would function in part as a steam generator instead of a steam super-heater.

' How the foregoing, together with such other objects and advantages as may hereinafter appear, or are incident to my invention,

are accomplished is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section thru a boiler embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2, on a reduced scale, with certain of the parts being shown in top plan view.

Referring now to the drawings it will be seen that I secure the desired increase in rate of circulation by the employment of a plurality of siphons 12. I locate the steam dome 10 very close to the front end or smoke box 13, the dry pipe 8 being outside the boiler. Only one of the 'super-heater elements 9 is shown, but it is to be understood that the usual superheater arrangement is employed.

Ebullition is most violent in the spaces around the fire-box as this is immediately adjacent the zone of combustion. With the increased rate of circulation which I contemplate, steam and water would be carried from the region where there is violent ebullition, into the dome-and into the dry pipe, with the effect of drowning the super-heater so to speak, with the result that the super-heater elements would serve as an evaporator instead of a super-heater, in consequence of which the efliciency of the locomotive would be greatly impaired.

In order to obviate this drowning, I make provision whereby the steam generated in the region of violent ebullition must travel a long and tortuous path to the dome, thereby ali'ording opportunity for the water to deposit out of the steam and insuring the steam entering the dome in a drier state.

To this end I secure bafliing plates 14. and 15 to the top of the boiler shell 16. The baffling 14, which may be of one piece, is arranged in U-shape as indicated in Fig. 3, with the base of the U in vertical line with the steam dome. The plates 15 are located to either side and their rear ends are joined by a plate 17. The shell, the baflle 15 and the plate 17, together with the water in the boiler which is carried at the'level indicated, cooperate to constitute a box, the forward end of which is open. The shell, the baffling 14, and the water in the boiler cooperate to form, a narrower box, the rear end of which is open and lies well toward the-rear end of the box first described, as will be clear on inspection of Fig. 3. 1 The steam from the region of the fire box must, therefore, pass forwardly to the front end of the first box, passing rearwardly thru such box to enter into the rear end of the second box, thru whichlatter it. flows to the dome.

Hence it follows that such steam travels a long and tortuous path to the-dome and, in addition, since I prefer to have the cross-see tional area of the boxes greater than that of the dome, the rate of flow of steam thru the boxes will be slower than the rate of flow F thru the dome when steam is being withdrawn. In both these respects, opportunity is afforded for precipitation of water out of the steam. T o catch any water that may be carried into the dome, a separator 11 may be provided in the dome.

In so far as the'mechanism ust described is concerned, it will be apparent that it could be usefully employed in standard locomotives I as well as locomotives which have provision for greatly increased circulation.

By virtue of this combination, I can develop a given amount of power with the locomo tive having a smaller boiler than would be standard. Statedin another way, I can develop more power from a boiler of standard size than heretofore possible. Many advantages flow from this, of which mention may be made of the fact that a booster could be used to supplement the main engine at slow speeds for very long periods without overtaxing the boiler and draining it of steam.

I claim:

1. In a locomotive, the combination of a boiler, a the box, means lor ensuring rapid circulation in the boiler in the vicinity of the fire box, said means discharging into the water space above the fire box, a steam dome beyond the region of said discharge, a plurality of longitudinally disposed plates extending from the boiler root beyond the re gion of said discharge into the water so that the space between the plates is closed at the bottom by the water in the boiler, battle means closin the space between said plates at the point adjacent the fire box, a steam entrance to the space between said plates at a point remote from the fire box, and a connection from the space between said plates to the dome,

2. In a l comotive, the combination of a boiler,'a fire box, means for ensuring rapid circulation in the boiler in the vicinity of the fire box, said means discharging into the water space above the the box, a steam dome beyond the region of said discharge, a substantially lJ-shaped baflle member extending downwardly from the roof of the boiler be yond the region of said discharge into the water so that'the space embraced by said member is closed at the bottom by the water I in the boiler, said U-s'haped baffle member being disposed longitudinally of the boiler with the gap away from the fire boX, a second substantially U-shaped bafile member extending downwardly from the roof of the boiler beyond the region of said discharge into the water so that the space embraced by said member is closed at the bottom by the water in the boiler, said second U-shaped member being disposed longitudinally of the boiler and nested within said first Usl'iaped memher with the gap adjacent the base of said first Ushaped member and with the sides spaced away from the sides of said first memher, and a steam connection from the space enclosed by said second member and the dome.

3. In a locomotive, the combination of a boiler, a fire box, means for ensuring rapid ci i'cnlation in the boiler in tire vicinity of the fire box, salt, means discharging into the water space above the fire box, a steam dome beyond the region of said discharge, longitudinally disposed bafiie plates extending from the roof of the boiler beyond the region of said discharge into the water so that the space between said plates is closed at the bot tom by the water in the boiler, said plates being closed at the end adjacent the firebox and forming with the water, a steam channel, an entrance to said channel at a point refrom the roof of mote from the fire box and an exit from the channel coupled to the dome.

4. In a locomotive, the combination of a boiler, a fire box, means for ensuring rapid circulation in the boiler in the vicinity of the fire box, said means discharging into the water space above the fire box, a steam dome beyond the region of said discharge, longitudinally disposed bafile plates extending the boiler beyond the region of said discharge nto the water so that the space between said plates is closed at the bottom by the water in the boiler, said plates being closed at the end adjacent the fire box and forming with the water a reverting steam,

channel having its entrance and its eXitat the end of the boiler remoteiro a the fire box,

and a connection between the exit and the dome.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name.

WILLIAM vE. WOODARD. 

